The University of Mississippi Athletics
Soccer Picked Eighth in SEC Preseason Poll
8/12/2016 | Soccer
OXFORD, Miss. - No. 22 Ole Miss soccer was picked eighth in the SEC Preseason Coaches' Poll, the league released Thursday in advance of the 2016 season.
The Rebels are coming off their first NCAA Sweet 16 appearance after a banner year with 14 victories, tied for third most in school history.
Despite a third-place finish in the league standings in 2015, a vote by the league's head coaches dropped Ole Miss the most of any team in the preseason poll, five spots to eighth.
Ole Miss is one of five teams in the SEC in the NSCAA Preseason Top-25. Florida was tabbed the favorite to win the league title, while Texas A&M and Auburn checked in second and third, respectively.
Eighteen players return from last year's squad including nine who started on a regular basis, while the Rebels also welcome seven newcomers to this season's team.
The regular season for Ole Miss opens Aug. 19 at home against Louisiana-Lafayette, while the SEC slate gets underway Sept. 9 at home against Missouri.
SEC Preseason Coaches' Poll (First-Place Votes in Parentheses)
Team | Points |
1. Florida (10) | 165 |
2. Texas A&M (4) | 154 |
3. Auburn | 141 |
4. South Carolina | 135 |
5. LSU | 108 |
6. Missouri | 105 |
7. Kentucky | 98 |
8. Ole Miss | 85 |
9. Tennessee | 84 |
10. Vanderbilt | 56 |
11. Georgia | 52 |
12. Arkansas | 35 |
13. Alabama | 29 |
14. Mississippi State | 27 |
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Rebels by following Ole Miss Soccer on Twitter at @OleMissSoccer, on Facebook at Facebook.com/OleMissSoccer, and on Instagram at Instagram.com/officialolemisssoccer. Also follow head coach Matt Mott on Twitter at @CoachMattMott. Additionally fans can get a behind the scenes look at Ole Miss Athletics on Snapchat under the handle, @WeAreOleMiss.
